Michigan Football Recruiting 2021: Top Commitments Landed, Recruit Predictions

Recently crowned the Big Ten champions, the Michigan Wolverines will be taking a quick break from College Football Playoff preparations to sign a bulk of their 2022 recruiting class.

While the on-field success is more likely to result in a recruiting bump for the 2023 cycle, the Wolverines have a strong group in 2022. They're entering the early signing period with the nation's No. 10 class, holding 20 commits with a few targets remaining.

We've gathered the latest news about those prospects who are ready to make their college decision, along with highlighting Michigan's key commits and other players to know.

For a variety of reasons, Michigan had to have Will Johnson.

Not only is Johnson the state's top-rated player and No. 20 overall, he's a product of nearby Grosse Pointe. Plus, he's the son of former U-M defensive back Deon Johnson, who played for the Wolverines in the 1990s. They couldn't watch a 5-star legacy leave the area.

The program's next-best commit is 4-star wideout Tyler Morris. The nation's 115th-ranked prospect, he previously caught passes from Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy at Nazareth Academy in Illinois.

Rounding out the list of top-200 prospects—at least for now—is California safety Zeke Berry. He's considered the No. 181 player.

Michigan's other 4-stars include linebacker Jimmy Rolder, athlete Kody Jones, tight end Colston Loveland, defensive lineman Mason Graham and edge-rusher Kevonte Henry.

During the early signing period, Michigan fans—and rivals—have a handful of blue-chip prospects to monitor.

Wide receiver Darrius Clemons (No. 131 overall) will choose one of Michigan, Oregon, Auburn, Penn State or Miami on Wednesday. That's also selection day for safety Keon Sabb (No. 94), who is considering U-M, Georgia, LSU and Ohio State after exiting Clemson's class when defensive coordinator Brent Venables left for Oklahoma.

On the defensive line, the Wolverines are battling Ole Miss for Derrick Moore (No. 79) and Kentucky for Deone Walker (No. 243). They're also trying to flip wideout Amorion Walker (No. 526) from Notre Dame and keep Kevonte Henry from switching his pledge.

Long story short? Wednesday-to-Friday will be a chaotic time to follow Michigan's efforts on the trail.

The biggest name Michigan will continue to chase following the December window is 5-star offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., who isn't expected to sign until February.

On the bright side, the incoming chaos should be productive for Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines.

Now, the dream scenario of landing every target is improbable. Clemons is the highest-ranked prospect from Oregon, and the in-state appeal may keep him around. Henry picked up a late offer from Washington and recently visited the school.

Beyond them, though, Michigan has a great outlook.

Sabb attended the emphatic win over Ohio State, then he decommitted after Venables left Clemson. That combination is awfully encouraging for the Wolverines, who are also in position to grab Moore following his recent Oklahoma decommitment—which happened after OU coach Lincoln Riley bolted for USC.

Deone Walker choosing U-M and Amorion Walker flipping from Notre Dame would cap a terrific day for the Big Ten champs.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.